Top junior high school rodeo cowboys and cowgirls in Kansas are gearing up for their yearend finals and determination of those to represent the state at the National Junior High School Rodeo Finals this summer.
“The Kansas Junior High School Rodeo Association Finals are scheduled May 29-30-31, at Whitewater Creek Arena in Whitewater,” announced Suzan Adams, adult secretary of the youth rodeo organization.
“The National Junior High School Rodeo Association was created in 2004 to bring the excitement of the sport to sixth, seventh and eighth graders, and to serve as a feeder system into the high school rodeo ranks,” Adams said
Today, all 47 states and provinces that belong to the National High School Rodeo Association also have a junior high division, with more than 2,500 members competing.
Junior high division contestants compete in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, breakaway roping, tie-down roping, chute dogging, team roping, ribbon roping and junior bull riding.
Each summer, the “best of the best” from each state and province qualify for the National Junior High School Finals Rodeo. Approximately 900 competitors show off their talents in the event and compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships and prizes.
Kansas junior high school cowboys and cowgirls competed in two fall rodeos and five spring rodeos to qualify for the Kansas finals this weekend, Adams said.
All-around point leading cowgirls going into the finals are Caxton Martin, Alma, and Cashen Turner, Plains, respectively, with the top cowboys, in order: Reed Boos, White Cloud, and Jaden Trimble, Coffeyville
The Whitewater rodeo facilities will be open for practice runs Thursday, May 28, with contestants meetings throughout the day, Friday, May 29, including election of officers, and the first performance begins at 6 p.m.
Second performance is Saturday morning, May 30, at 10 o’clock, with a directors meetings to follow.
Cowboy Church is Saturday evening at 5 o’clock, featuring Pastor Chris Bray from the Prairie Trail Cowboy Church, with his band Justified. A junior high rodeo dance completes Saturday’s agenda.
Short-round finals competition determining the Kansas Junior High School Rodeo Team begins at 10 o’clock, Sunday morning, May 31.
Top four contestants in each event when all points from the 2014-15 season are tallied will head to the National Junior High School Rodeo Finals, June 21-27, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, Iowa.
Information is available at http://www.khsra.net/jrhigh.html.